This invention relates generally to orthopedic compensatory corrective devices applied to the foot. This invention relates more specifically to orthopedic compensatory-corrective devices that are to be disposed in footwear and applied for the correction and/or compensatory treatment of structural foot abnormalities or faulty architecture of the human foot with their resultant numerous bodily disorders and physical symptoms.
Frequently a patient is seen by a physician or podiatric specialist for symptoms that are confined and related to the lower extremities, these symptoms being localized in either one or more specific structural areas. Physical, biomechanical examination of the subject often leads to an identification or diagnosis by the physician of one or more specific structural abnormalities in the foot structure of the patient that are primarily responsible for these attendant symptoms.
The areas of the human foot in which these specific structural abnormalities have been found to be localized are either the fore foot or the rear foot regions. These structural abnormalities may be generically classified as either of the varus or valgus type. The valgus abnormality refers specifically to a foot position wherein the joint is turned outward or everted, that is away from the body midline to an abnormal degree. The varus abnormality, on the other hand, is a condition of the foot being turned inward or inverted, that is towards the body midline to an abnormal degree.
Previous applications of prior art devices to a shoe, or insole in a shoe, that have been designed for arch problems are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,081,474 (Burns), 2,427,986 (Whitman), and 1,804,009 (Gregarek). We find in examining these prior art devices essentially a generalized arch-supporting means designed to support faulty arches and prevent further weakening of the problem arch in the human foot. This approach is in clear contradistinction to the present invention whereby specifically designed prosthetic devices are applied to compensate for definite existing structural abnormalities of the human foot.